Published: Monday, February 25, 2013 at 12:30 a.m.

Last Modified: Friday, February 22, 2013 at 4:28 p.m.

A bin for the Soles4Souls shoe drive donations is nearly full in the Brooks Student Center lobby at Davidson County Community College on Thursday. The DCCC Student Government Association is collecting old shoes through April 1 for the recycling program.

Donnie Roberts/The Dispatch

Facts

Want to donate?

DCCC's Student Government Association is collecting shoes for the needy through the 'Soles4Souls' program. New and gently worn shoes can be dropped off at collection boxes on campus in the Felix O. Gee Building, the Learning Resource Commons lobby and the J. Bryan Brooks Student Center.

The Student Government Association at Davidson County Community College is requesting those pairs of shoes to bless the needy with footwear.

The organization is in the midst of its community service project — "Soles4Souls."

Abigail Owens, SGA president, said donating shoes impacts the life of someone who is less fortunate.

"It's amazing how many people in the world don't have shoes," she said. "We're asking people to have a heart."

SGA is hoping to collect 500 pairs of new and gently worn shoes that will be mailed to the program based in Nashville.

Since 2005, Soles4Souls has delivered more than 19 million pairs of shoes to people in more than 125 countries. More information about the nonprofit organization can be found at www.soles4souls.org.

Owens emphasized they are seeking all different sizes for children, men and women. She noted all types of footwear are needed such as athletic and running, dress, sandals, pumps, heels, work boots, cleats, dance and flip-flops.

Owens said shoes that cannot be used will be recycled into clean energy at an energy-from-waste facility in Huntsville, Ala.

"Many of us have closets filled with shoes we rarely wear. Instead of throwing them away and overfilling our landfills, donating them is a simple way to help reduce our environmental impact," Owens said.

Every semester the organization takes part in a community service project. Last semester members held a voter registration drive.

Bins are located at both the Davidson and Davie campuses. Locally, the shoes can be dropped off in the Felix O. Gee Building, the Learning Resource Commons lobby or the J. Bryan Brooks Student Center. Donated shoes need to be tied together by laces or by wrapping a rubber band around them.

SGA started collecting two weeks ago. The drive will end April 1.

"It's going pretty good. We are not where we want to be. We encourage the community to give," Owens said.

Deneesha Edwards can be reached at 249-3981, ext. 213, or at deneesha.edwards@the-dispatch.com.

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